Rejected Addresses
Rejected Addresses: Or, The New Theatrum Poetarum is the title of an 1812 book by the brothers James and Horace Smith. Background The Rejected Addresses were parodies of the most popular poets of the day in the guise of imaginary addresses from their pens, purported to have been prepared in competition for a prize that had been offered by the managers on occasion of the reopening of Drury Lane Theatre after its destruction by fire on 10 October 1812. Horace Smith himself had been a serious competitor, and the commission had been entrusted to one of the poets parodied, Byron.Richard Garnett, "Smith, Horatio" in Lee, Sidney Dictionary of National Biography 53 (edited by Sidney Lee). London: Smith, Elder, 1898, 53. Wikisource, Web, Mar. 2, 2018. The idea had been suggested to the Smiths by the secretary to the theatre, Mr. Ward, Sheridan's brother-in-law, who, having seen the addresses submitted bona fide, had been struck by their prevailing silliness, no less than 69 competitors having invoked the aid of the Phœnix. The brothers had great difficulty in finding a publisher, until at last John Miller, of Bow Street, agreed to print at his own expense, and give them half the profits, "if any." The volume appeared on the day of the opening of the theatre, with the title Rejected Addresses; or, The new theatrum poetarum (18th edit. 1833, with new preface by Horace Smith). Success was instantaneous, and in truth there has been nothing better of the kind in the language (excepting only Hogg's inimitable parody of Wordsworth, ‘The Flying Tailor").’ Writing The Rejected Addresses contained 21 good-natured parodies of authors of the time. The best parodies were those of William Cobbett and George Crabbe, and were the work of James Smith, who also wrote the hardly less successful parodies of Wordsworth and Southey. Horace Smith's best are those of Byron and Scott, and the delectable nonsense of the "Loyal Effusion]" by William Thomas Fitzgerald . Horace inserted his genuine rejected poem under the title of "An Address without a Phœnix." Neither brother did anything half so good again, though each has bequeathed a considerable amount of comic verse. Their only subsequent joint production, entitled Horace in London, by the authors of Rejected Addresses, appeared in 1813. Critical reception Lord Byron: "I think the Rejected Addresses by far the best thing of the kind since The Rolliad, and wish you had published them. Tell the author ‘I forgive him, were he twenty times over our satirist;’ and think his imitations not at all inferior to the famous ones of Hawkins Browne.”Lord Byron to John Murray, Oct. 19, 1812. from [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/3769/3769-h/3769-h.htm Rejected Addresses], 22nd edition, London: John Murray, 1879, ii. Project Gutenberg, Web, Mar. 2, 2018. Francis Jeffrey: “I take the Rejected Addresses to be the very best imitations (and often of difficult originals) that ever were made; and considering their great extent and variety, to indicate a talent to which I do not know where to look for a parallel. Some few of them descend to the level of parodies; but by far the greater part are of a much higher description.”Lord Jeffrey (in 1843), Note in Essays, iv. 470. from [https://www.gutenberg.org/files/3769/3769-h/3769-h.htm Rejected Addresses], 22nd edition, London: John Murray, 1879, ii. Project Gutenberg, Web, Mar. 2, 2018. Contents *I. Loyal Effusion by W.T.F. *II. The Baby's Debut by W.W. *III. An Address Without a Phoenix by S.T.P. *IV. Cui Bono? by Lord B. *V. Hampshire Farmer's Address by W.C. *VI. The Living Lustres by T. M *VII. The Rebuilding by R.S. *VIII. Drury's Dirge by Laura Matilda *IX. A Tale of Drury Lane *X. Johnson's Ghost *XI. The Beautiful Incendiary by the Hon W. S. *XII. Fire and Ale by M.G.L. *XIII. Playhouse Musings by S.T.C. *XIV. Drury Lane Hustings by a Pic-Nic Poet *XV. Architectural Atoms tranlated by Dr. B. *XVI. Theatrical Alarm-Bell by the editor of the M.P. *XVII. The Theatre by the Rev. G.C. *XVIII. Macbeth Travestie by Momus Medlar *XIX. Stranger Travestie by Momus Medlar *XX. George Barnwell Travestie by Momus Medlar *XXI. Punch's Apotheosis by T.H. Referemces External links ;Poems Category:1812 books Category:British books Category:Parodies